Posted on May 2, 2009 in Latest News
Experience of labor is unique to every woman, whether you are a seasoned mother or a first timer. Unfortunately, advances in obstetrics still cannot predict accurately when labor truly starts. For some women, labor is sudden and swift. For others, labor may stretch for several hours to days. In reality, our body starts preparing for labor one month before the birth. Here are some labor signs that you might expect…
Signs of Labor
Listed below are some of the labor signs:
- Baby Starts Descending: As labor approaches nearer, you may notice heaviness in your pelvis and back as your baby starts descending. You can also feel less pressure in your chest and breathe more easily.
- Braxton Hicks Contractions: Also known as ‘practice contractions’ can usually intensify in the last trimester (28th week) of pregnancy. Such irregular contractions usually last for few minutes and prepare your uterus for the labor but eventually fade away automatically. They also help in progressively softening and dilating your cervix.
- Vaginal Discharge: As the cervix progressively dilates and softens and blood circulation to the pelvis increases, mucus plug that seals the cervix may be discharged as clamps. Discharge of mucus plug tinged with blood often signifies that labor is approaching in the next few hours or days.
- Rupture of Amniotic Sac: With the rupture of outer layer of amniotic sac, there is continued discharge of amniotic fluid. The fluid can be slightly colored with blood with the breaking of the blood vessels.
- Labor Contractions: As preparation for true labor begins, the cervix progressively becomes thin, dilated and soft. You may start getting frequent uterine contractions marked by crampy (like menstruation) pain, at regular intervals of twenty to thirty minutes initially. You may want to note down the time and period of contractions. Over the time, true labor contractions become progressively closer and last longer. Unlike Braxton Hicks contractions, change of position will not reduce the severity of contractions.
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